Researchers at the French engineering university have collaborated with Centre Technique du Papier in the development of the wallpaper, which is coated in conductive silver ink that can block particular electromagnetic wave frequencies. This means that users will be able to benefit from a secure wifi network, alongside maintaining access to radio and mobile phone services. Serving a dual purpose, the wallpaper can not only keep wifi signal within the confines of the home, office or venue, it can also stop surrounding signals from permeating the space. What’s more, some worry that electromagnetic waves could be harmful, and although this theory is unproven, the wallpaper’s ability to block out these waves could put these fears to rest. While the wallpaper is designed with a geometric pattern in the silver ink, blocking capabilities are not affected if homeowners or businesses want to place their own choice of decoration over the top.

Although a similar method for safeguarding business networks from security breaches was developed by BAE Systems in the UK, this has never been made commercially available. The ING researchers have granted Finnish company Ahlstrom exclusive rights to manufacture the wallpaper, and it is expected to go on sale in 2013. They explain that it should cost the same as a mid-range traditional wallpaper.

With security settings already available to those who wish to make their wifi network private, some may question how necessary this technology is. However, while it is perhaps less of a concern for homeowners, it may still prove useful for businesses who offer their patrons free wifi access or need to ensure against security breaches. Could the inovation prove useful for your company or venue?

Website: www.ahlstrom.com
Contact: info@ahlstrom.com

Spotted by: Judy McRae

The brainchild of Japan’s Osaka University and Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), the Hugvie is designed with a minimalistic, child-sized human form that could be associated with either gender. Featuring a pocket into which the user’s cell phone can be inserted, the huggable device includes also a microcontroller and vibrators that are designed to match the characteristics of the caller’s voice, according to a report on DigInfo. The vibrators pulse at the same rate as an average human heartbeat with the aim of making the robot more human and tactile-friendly, and the vibrations can become harder or faster depending on the tone of the caller’s voice. The video below demonstrates the Hugvie in action:

The Hugvie is now available for JPY 3,990 from Vstone. Mobile-minded retailers around the globe — an idea to get in on?

Website: www.geminoid.jp/projects/CREST/hugvie.html
Contact: hil-contact@atr.jp

Made of calcium carbonate, each iPavement stone weighs 25kg and measures 40x40x7 cm. Available in either a classic smooth or a corrugated finish, the stones are the brain child of Spanish Vía Inteligente, which will start to manufacture them this summer. Offering 802.11 b/g wifi and Bluetooth 2.1, the stones each offer broadcast coverage of between 350 and 580 square meters, depending on their surroundings; Via Inteligente recommends a linear distance of 20 meters between them, with pavement continuity in between to ensure propagation. Included with the stones, moreover, is a built-in Linux-compatible operating system, along with apps, offering access to maps, coupons, virtual libraries, and a wide array of local information. Available in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese, iPavement operates at temperatures ranging from -30C to 75C. The video below (in Spanish) illustrates the premise in more detail:

There’s virtually no end to consumers’ desire for online oxygen, and we’ve also seen Italian phone booths repurposed to answer that call. How can your brand take advantage of these new technologies and gain favor with the public by making them more readily available?

Website: www.ipavement.com/en/index_eng.html
Contact: info@ipavement.com

Spotted by: Parul Rohatgi

According to Creativity Online, the Poo WiFi portal, developed in conjunction with advertising agency DDB, is currently being trialled in ten parks around Mexico City. Dog walkers who scoop their pet’s poop can place the bag into a specially-designed bin, which weighs the droppings and calculates how much free time online it can be traded in for at wifi routers located around the vicinity. The higher the volume of excrement that goes in the bin, the longer park users will be able to access free internet on their mobile devices. Initially, the portals will come with a representative who will hand out bags for picking up the droppings. DDB have also created an ad to go with the campaign, which you can watch below:

The wifi scheme simultaneously provides an impetus for dog walkers to keep the parks clean as well as providing free internet access to its users, making the environments much more pleasurable to be in. Could you bring a similar scheme to your city?

Website: wifi.terra.com.br
Contact: editorial@terra.com.br

Spotted by: Judy McRae

Currently in a trial phase throughout 2012, the Smart Booth is part of Turin’s Smart City project focusing on sustainability. Resulting from a partnership with Telecom Italia, startup UbiConnected and Turin Politecnico university, the prototype currently installed outside the university on Corso Duca degli Abruzzi can not only be used to make phone calls via touch screen, but also offers a wide array of services including tourism and shopping information, social networking, and online services for students of the university. Powered in part by a built-in photovoltaic panel, the booth is also equipped with atmospheric pollution monitoring equipment, a video monitoring system that can be linked to the local police, and six recharging panels for electric bicycles and scooters. Multiple displays, meanwhile, can serve as a viewing platform for advertising, public sector messages, tourist information and news.

The Smart Booth will be extended to other Italian cities in the coming weeks, Telecom Italia says. Municipalities and telecom entrepreneurs around the globe — one for inspiration?

Website: www.telecomitalia.com/tit/en.html
Contact: www.telecomitalia.com/tit/en/about-us/ti-group-contacts.html

Spotted by: R Steinberg

Inspired by the fact that one in six phones have been found to have fecal matter on them, PhoneSoap is a small box that can simultaneously charge and sanitize a cell phone using UV-C light. The device consists of a box with UV lights on two sides of its interior for simultaneous cleansing of both the top and bottom of a phone. After plugging the device into the mains, users can use it briefly just to sanitize their phone, or they can plug in their phone using the the micro USB or Apple 30-pin USB cord provided to charge it at the same time. Three to five minutes of UV exposure is enough for complete sanitization, and there’s no heat or liquid involved. With a short wavelength that is 99.9 percent effective at killing bacteria and viruses, UV-C light is completely safe for humans, PhoneSoap’s Utah-based maker says. The video below explains the premise in more detail:

PhoneSoap is currently available for preorders on Kickstarter at a price of USD 39, with delivery expected in August. Having already exceeded its pledge goal, the project will be funded early next month. Mobile-minded entrepreneurs: one to get involved in early?

Website: www.phonesoapbox.com
Contact: danielhb@me.com

Spotted by: Eric Tan

Currently, shoppers whose purchases don’t add up to a whole-dollar amount are often forced either to buy an extra item to make the total round up, or to accept a credit note that’s typically good only at the store that issued it. With Yo Time, however, participating retailers can issue change in the form of PIN-less airtime credited directly to the shopper’s mobile phone number. The service can handle credits of any value between 10 cents and USD 50. Once sent, the shopper receives the airtime within eight seconds along with a confirmation message.

Yo Time has already been embraced by several leading retail chains and supermarkets in Zimbabwe, the company says. A model to bring to other currency-strapped nations around the world?

Website: www.yotime.co.zw
Contact: sales@yotime.co.zw

Vodafone and Nicoll entered into a partnership last summer, and the latest result is a new phone-charging handbag, which can reportedly charge BlackBerry, iPhone and Android devices. Users need only charge the bag from a traditional outlet while at work or at home using an inductive charging cable that attaches to the outside of the bag, according to a report in The Telegraph. Once that’s done, the bag can reportedly charge handsets and tablets alike for at least two days via a retractable cable installed in the bag’s pocket. There’s even an LED light on the bag’s Bluetooth-enabled charm that flashes to indicate incoming calls, phone notifications, and battery life, a WIWT report notes.

No word yet on pricing or availability of Nicoll’s bag, but we’re betting tech-minded stockists are lining up now. Retailers around the globe: how about you?

Website: www.richardnicoll.com and www.vodafone.co.uk
Contact: studio@richardnicoll.com and help.vodafone.co.uk/system

Now on offer at No Black Tie every Thursday night through April 19, BBM Table Service gives BlackBerry users a way to order drinks without having to flag down a waiter. To do so, they begin by adding the bartender’s PIN on BBM and then scanning a QR code to activate the service. Once they’ve received a confirmation message, they can place drink orders or even call a waiter using their device; all they need provide is their table number. The company also claims that users of the BBM Table Service will receive a free beer, wine or soft drink courtesy of BlackBerry Malaysia.

Part brand butler, part free love and part BBM promotion, BlackBerry’s BBM Table Service also apparently made an appearance at Australia’s Water Bar last year. Venues and tech providers alike: be inspired!

Website: www.facebook.com/BlackBerryMY
Contact: Malaysia.BlackBerry@gmail.com

Spotted by: Leroy Luar

Due to begin shipping in March, the SpareOne phone from California-based XPAL Power is a dual-band GSM cell phone that offers up to 10 hours of talk time on just a single Alkaline, NiMH or Lithium AA battery. With a built in emergency flashlight and the ability to automatically transmit its location via the cell ID, the phone can keep its charge for up to 15 years when not used, meaning it will always be ready when needed. Users can also preprogram the phone with important phone numbers for easy access to family members or travel and emergency services. Pricing will reportedly be USD 50. The video below demonstrates the SpareOne phone in use:

Debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January, the SpareOne phone will offer travel agents, hotels and companies opportunities to customize the device with preloaded phone numbers and bundle packages, XPAL says. For special events, branding possibilities will also be available. One to factor into your own 2012 marketing plans?

Website: www.spareonephone.com
Contact: alan.cymberknoh@precisionservicesltd.com

Now in beta, VikingSpots is currently open only to a small set of Mobile Vikings users in Belgium’s Hasselt area, but a broader roll-out is planned for the first half of this year. To make its free mobile internet service possible, Mobile Vikings — an initiative of CityLive — has set up a network of local “spots,” or participating local businesses. When Mobile Vikings users interact with those spots — such as by using the new, Belgian Carambla app to offer a free parking spot to a driver who needs one — they can earn free “Viking Points” which can be exchanged for mobile service, according to a report on ZDNet.

Free love ia almost always a hit with consumers, but powering it through local business offers — with benefits for everyone involved — adds a new twist entirely. One to watch and learn from!

Website: www.vikingspots.com
Contact: info@vikingspots.com

Spotted by: Kevin de Caluwé

Micromax is one of India’s fastest growing mobile brands. The X395 Convertible comes with a dual SIM, MP3 player and a preloaded Opera Mini web browser. The three-way axis motion sensor will detect any shake or twist performed on the handset, enabling the user to change their SIM card, skip music tracks, or turn the phone on to silent during an in-coming call, with a small movement. The phone also features a video recorder, a 2.4 inch screen, supports GPRS, WAP, MMS and Bluetooth, and has 3 interchangeable back panels in black, red and yellow. Handsets start from INR 2,050.

As phones increasingly offer more and more functionality, it is often the case that many users find navigating the phones’ menus a more confusing and frustrating process. Micromax seem to have found a simple solution.

Website: www.micromaxinfo.com
Contact: www.micromaxinfo.com/contactus.php

Spotted by: Manoj Nahar

To activate the free app, users first need a Brouha card, which they can pick up from participating stores and locate using the Brouha app. Once the user has registered this RFID card to their iPhone, it is then able to receive automated messages from the store regarding exclusive deals, new products, in-store events and other relevant, time-sensitive information which it can send to the user’s phone. Customers benefit from an enhanced shopping experience, with branded mobile content and rewards sent directly to their phone, without having to reveal their name, email address, phone number or credit card data. Businesses benefit from presence on customers’ phones, and the ability to communicate with them on-the-spot in real-time with incentives. If the customer participates in polls and quizzes via the app, businesses can even send them response-based deals.

Brouha has been live for just over a month, and according to them they “have on average three times as many active members per store than stores have fans on Facebook”. With statistics like this, a model worth exploring outside the US?

Website: www.brouha.me
Contact: questions@brouha.me

Spotted by: Erik Karff

SK Telecom’s Smart Cart is the world’s first shopping cart service to use smartphones to deliver in-store information using indoor positioning technology, the company says. There have already been RFID-based cart services, of course, but SK Telecom’s Smart Cart goes a step further to provide a wide variety of shopping tips, product information and coupons in real-time based on the consumer’s position in the store. Shoppers begin by downloading the Smart Cart application to their smartphones. Next, they can search for product information and store coupons and draw up a shopping list. Then, once they’re at a participating retail store, the customer’s smartphone is automatically synchronized with a tablet PC installed in the shopping cart. After that, as they move about the store, shoppers receive a variety of product information and coupons relevant to their specific location in the aisles. The system’s indoor positioning technology uses both UWB and Zigbee to offer location information that’s accurate within one meter, SK Telecom says, and delivered to the shopping cart’s tablet via wifi. Once they arrive at the checkout counter, the tablet screen on their cart shows the list of purchased items, membership points and available coupons.

Following its pilot tests in China, SK Telecom plans a similar testing phase in Korea later this year. Ultimately, the company expects to further integrate consumers’ shopping history into the service for personalized product recommendations and individualized target marketing, it says. Retailers and brands alike: one to get involved in early?

Website: www.sktelecom.com
Contact: globalbusiness@sktelecom.com

Spotted by: Florent Lesauvage

A part of TeliaSonera Group, Telia offers its “internet-free” download for users of both Mac OS X and Windows. Launched in July, meanwhile, its internet-free zones are currently up and running in several Swedish locations, including Falkenberg and the Fors Golfklubb in Haninge. Identified by map on the Telia site, the specially designated zones effectively block all internet service. It is planned that the program will end later this month.

One part sympvertising, one part advertising, Telia’s internet-free effort amounts to a fun anti-campaign that’s sure to attract some attention for its internet service. One for inspiration!

Website: maximalt.telia.se
Contact: www.telia.se/privat/kundservice/kontaktatelia/viae-post/

Spotted by: Marleen